I've been working on some Math curriculum for my district and have a few little things to share with you! I'm working on setting up some easy peasy math station ideas for the first couple of weeks of school.

Does anyone else find it hard to go back to the very beginning again?! At the end of the year they know SO much! I forget every year how little they know at the beginning! Which is funny...because I taught Pre-K before I taught Kinder! It's hard for me to get in that mind set again. All it takes is the first 2 minutes with those new kiddos though and I remember . You don't know how to hold a pencil? Place materials neatly in the supply boxes? It's all coming back to me now..

So, these little station activities are EASY PEASY. Lots of fine motor, one to one correspondence, great station activities for math in the beginning of the year.

I've also been working on getting our daily calendar companions all set up for my new kiddos {if only I could have that list!} Here's the cover I made for Ella

Here's what the inside of the folder will look like. The orange sheet is the daily page that we will cover every single day. There are SO many skills that you incorporate into calendar time and they spiral all throughout the year. Some of the white pages on the left will be changed out depending on the specific skills/ numbers that we are working on in that part of the year. Here's a closer look at the front and back pages of the every-day page. Counting on is a new standard for us and I *know* that our older grade teachers will love us for really practicing with the number line a lot!Here's an example of one of the white pages that will change throughout the year or depending on the students' needs.

I have been doing writer's workshop in my classroom for the past year and have been working on perfecting our writing folders. I think I got it right this time! I used offices last year, and while I liked them...they were a bit cumbersome and it did not have folders to actually store our writing in!

Take a look:

If you're interested in purchasing, there are editable covers and word walls in the packet so you can customize it to suit your students' needs! Check them out HERE.

I'm linking up with my buddy Hadar for her "10 things I've learned from teaching" linky. It's so much fun to reflect on the things- good and bad that I've learned over the past 5 years!

1) You can never predict where the day may go. The minute you get in the groove something is going to change! There may be a great teachable moment that you {of course!} have to take advantage of OR the kid in the middle of the carpet throws up all over themselves and their 4 nearest friends. Its fun!

2) I get way attached to my kids- I miss them on vacation breaks and REALLY start missing them about a month into the summer. I love them just like my own and I can only hope that my {personal} children's teachers will do the same.

3) I am super proud to be a teacher. I make a difference every day. In all sorts of ways. I would never trade it for any other profession.

4) I *really* get to be myself in front of those little ones. They think it's hilarious when I make a mistake or draw like a 3 year old. Or sing opera. Or dance with them. Or act like they're turning 17 on their birthdays.

5) I got used to being watched- by principals, teammates, student teachers, PD people from central office, special ed teachers, counselors. Who ever said you were alone with the door shut in your classroom ever?!

6) The kids notice EVERYthing about you! Wake up late and throw your hair in a pony tail?! They notice. Buy new shoes? They notice. Paint your nails a new color? They notice! So be careful what you say or do...because they're always watching!

7)They also have no filters... true story!

8) I am on the lookout ALWAYS for things that I can use to teach. I can turn the most random {insert junk from Hobby Lobby, Dollar Tree, Target} things into materials to teach with! I love love LOVE creating things for my classroom.

9) Take the time to listen to your students- you might find out something really important. They will remember the conversations they had with you and the way you were there for them.

10) Hug them every day. Every. single. day. When you greet them, when they leave. I make it a requirement for them to leave me. It's just the way I connect with even they shyest of students. I make them feel special and give that student my undivided attention for the 2 seconds a hug takes. It provides them an environment of trust- they will work hard for you if they know that you've got their backs.

And best of all?! Teaching is the BEST profession in the world! I wouldn't trade it for any other job!

I'm super excited about my Made It this week!! I've been brainstorming ways to get change up my stations routine this year- and I'm really looking forward to introducing Reader's Theater! I know that my Kinders will be SO excited about this! I love incorporating Reader's Theater into my class....but it's going to be a challenge to let go of the reigns and let my kids have at it. lol! Maybe in December?! ;)

So- I created a puppet theater (the one pictured will stay at home for Ella) for my kids to use after MUCH practice. The best thing about this puppet theater? When it's not in use I can easily fold it up and put it in the closet! It's not big and bulky and in the way all the time! Here's the tutorial!

{all material were from Hobby Lobby. Make sure to get the black project board (or another color that matches your fabrics) There are enough materials pictured to make 2 Puppet Theaters}

I have a new packet up that includes everything you will need for back to school night/ open house and the very beginning of the year!

This packet includes over 150 pages of back to school printables to get you ready for the year!

Included in the packet:
- Writing office printables {alphabet chart, writer's eye, often used resources}
- Back to school "lucky to have you" printable tags for gifts
- Polka dot name tags in 5 different colors. Editable version included
- Open house night classroom scavenger hunt
- Open house sign in sheets
- Journal covers and different journal printable pages to differentiate
- Open house {or beginning of the year} information sheets for parents to fill out and manilla folder cover sheets
- Intervention and Contact logs

- Over 40 printable binder pages for {almost} everything you could need!

- 12 editable binder pages for those things not included

Click HERE to check this packet out on TpT. It's 20% off for this weekend only!